Drying rack



DRYING RACK Filed April 15, 1955 19 /Z6 Z2 4?! ,12 a;

Z 23 j 3 3. Z 2; 19 22 22 24 Z 7 m 3% g1 lNvENifl Patented June 12, 1934 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DRYING RACK George Murray, New York, N. Y.

Application April 15, 1933, Serial No. 665,251

2 Claims. (01. 211-104 My invention relates to racks to be used for drying various fabricated articles, such as apparel and the like, and refers particularly to a collapsible drying rack adapted to be quickly mounted upon or demounted from a window and having rods or the like upon which articles may be hung.

A great many different racks for substantially similar purposes have been proposed. Such racks are of widely varying construction, to be installed 10 or mounted at different places in various ways. Quite a large number of such racks are being marketed. However, it appears that no rack for a purpose similar to that of my invention is available which is not more or less faulty, inconvenient and objectionable for one or more real the front of a window at the inside of a room without any previous preparations for its installation. That is, there are no supporting attachments to be previously'secured in place on any part of the window, nor elsewhere, and no preparatory alterations are required. Thus the appearance of the window is in no way marred.

The drying rack of my invention is so constructed and disposed that, in its condition and position of use, articles thereon will be freely exposed to circulating currents of air, such as by opening the window at the top or bottom, or both, or by a radiator in the usual installation of the latterbelow a Window. Also, in many instances, the articles may be thus exposed to the rays of the sun. It is suitable for exposing to the air any article that is capable of being supported by its rods, for example, among many other articles, lingerie, stockings, gloves, handkerchiefs, washcloths, towels, underwear, socks, etc. .It is of 0 large effective holding capacity for its size.

Following a period of use, the drying rack of my invention may be quickly disconnected from the window and removed, leaving no marks or signs behind. It may be quickly collapsed into a fiat folded condition, and is capable of being secured in that condition if desired. In this condition, it may be temporarily put aside or stored in any very limited convenient place, out of sight if so desired. When needed for use, it may be quickly installed in place on the window, to be supported thereby.

It may be conveniently and economically manufactured, so that it may have a low selling price. Windows are commonly made in a limited numher of standard dimensions, reference now being had more particularly to their width, since their height is immaterial to my invention. Thus the drying rack of my invention, which extends across the window from side to side, may be made in several standard lengths most commonly required. Also, with only slight additional expense, the drying rack of my invention may be made to be easily extensible and contractible as to its length, so as thereby to be capable of being readily mounted upon windows of different widths. Also, in such case, the drying rack may then be contracted or collapsed to its shortest length when not in use. In any case, the drying rack of my invention, in its collapsed flatly folded condition, may be readily packed in a usual or moderately sized trunk or the like, to be carried when traveling, for more or less temporary installation and use.

For a more thorough understanding of the drying rack of my invention, two variant forms thereof will now be particularly described with reference to the accompanying drawing, and thereafter the invention will be pointed out in claims, reference now being had to the drawing, in which similarparts are designated by similar reference numerals and in which:-

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a drying rack of my invention shown as installed upon a window, at the inner side thereof.

Figure 2 is an enlarged vertical section on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a front perspective view of the complete drying rack by itself in opened condition.

Figure 4 is a further enlarged end elevation of the drying rack in its collapsed condition.

Figure 5 is a broken plan view of a modification.

Reference will first be had to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, which illustrate one embodiment of the drying rack of my invention. Figures 1 and 2 show an ordinary window, having a frame 11, which at each side thereof has a usual inner stop strip 12, parting strip 13, and outer stop strip 14, by which upper and lower sashes 15 and 16 are slidingly guided to be raised and lowered. Such sashes, at the present time, have their weight counterbalanced. A pair of usual sash cords 1'7, 17, for this purpose, for the lower sash 16 are disposed, as usual, in the grooves formed between the inner stop strips 12, 12 and the parting strips 13, 13. These cords could as well be usual chains, or other suitable suspending members, that being immaterial to my invention.

The drying rack of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive has a front cross rod 18, a pair of upper end bars or arms 19, 19 extending at right angles from the front rod 18, and a pair of lower end bars or arms 20, 20 also extending at right angles from the front rod 18. The end bars 19, 19 and the other end bars 20, 20 are pivoted together along the line of the axis of the front rod 18. The front rod 18 and one of these pairs of end arms or bars may be conveniently made all in one piece, and the two upper end arms or bars 19, 19 are thus shown as formed in a single piece with the front rod 18. In this construction, the front rod 18 pivotally passes through eyes 21, 21 formed respectively on the front ends of the lower end arms or bars 20, 20.

A series or set of upper cross rods 22, 22, 22, shown as three in number and as parallel with one another and with the front rod 18, are fixedly secured at their ends to the upper end arms 19, 19, which they desirably overlie, and in the construction shown in the drawing are welded thereto. A similar series or set of lower cross rods 23, 23, 23, shown as three, which are parallel with the front rod 18, underlie and are fixedly secured at their ends, as by welding, to the lower end arms 20, 20. This welding is clearly indicated in Figure 4 for the two sets of cross rods 22, 22 and 23, 23. The cross rods 22, 22 in the upper series and the cross rods, 23, 23 in the lower series are disposed in alternating displaced relation with one another, as is clearly shown in Figures 2 and 4, the upper rods 22, 22 being shown as positioned farther back from the front rod 18 than are the lower rods 23, 23.

The upper end arms 19, 19 have outturned hooks 24, 24 formed respectively on their rear ends, while the rear ends of the lower end arms 20, 20 are shown as turned over upwardly to form rounded feet 25, 25 respectively thereon. The arms 19, 19 and the arms 20, 20 are flexibly connected together at each of the opposite ends of the drying rack, in order to limit the extent of their spreading apart, while providing for their being folded together. In the construction shown in the drawing, a pair of suitably strong strings 26, 26 are thus employed.

These strings are shown as connected to the upper arms 19, 19 adjacent their rearmost cross rod 22, and as connected at their lower ends to the lower arms 20, 20 adjacent their rearmost cross rod 23. Desirably these strings are looped around these cross rods 22 and 23, as well as around the end arms 19, 19 and 20, 20, as indi cated in Figures 3 and 4, thereby to assure against the slipping of these strings 26, 26 in any direction. The extent to which the arms 19, 19 and 20, 20 are permitted to spread from one another is desirably about that most clearly shown in Figure 2, that is, at an acute V-shaped angle substantially of or somewhat wider than 45.

In the drying rack of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, excluding the strings 26, 26, all other parts may be made from suitably heavy wire or relatively small rod material, all

of the same gauge as to size or diameter. The drying rack shown in the drawing is thus con structed.

The operation of the above described drying rack of my invention is as follows:

Starting with the rack in the fully collapsed or flatly folded condition shown in Figure 4, it is readily expanded to the open condition shown in Figure 3 merely by grasping its upper arms 19, 19 and lifting it thereby. The hooks 24, 24 are then respectively engaged with the sash cords 17, 17, the arms 19, 19 being brought down against the top rail of the lower sash 16, as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 2. The feet 25, 25 are then brought to rest respectively against the side bars of the lower sash 16, as is also clearly shown in these Figures 1 and 2. The grasp may now be released. It will be clear that the lower end arms 20, 20 now act as braces or thrust members for the upper end arms 19, 19, while the latter act as tension or suspension members for the lower arms 20, 20. The taut strings 26, 26 prevent the feet 25, 25 from slipping downward on the side bars of the sash 16.

It is now evident that the rack will thus be firmly and securely supported upon the window, being then in its position of use. It will be noted that all of the cross rods 18, 19, 19 and 20, 20 extend entirely across the window space directly at the front thereof, at a conveniently accessible height. Articles to be dried, or to be aired, may now be hung over these rods, as indicated in Figure 2. It is to be noted that all of these drying rods are disposed in different vertical planes relatively to one another, the upper rods 19, 19 being in vertical planes which come intermediately between the lower rods 20, 20. Thus articles can hang down from the upper rods 19, 19 between and in spaced relation from articles on the lower rods 20, 20.

For demounting the drying rack, it is only necessary to unhook the hooks 24, 24 from the sash cords 1'7, 17. The rack is now readily collapsed to the thin, folded condition shown in Figure 4. The strings 26, 26 may now be wound, or tied, around the folded-together end bars or arms 19, 19 and 20, 20, if desired, to assure the collapsed condition of the rack in handling it. It may now be stored in any convenient place, out of the way and out of sight, such as behind a radiator, or in a closet, upon a shelf, or otherwise.

The drying rack of my invention is adaptable to having all of its cross rods constructed to be extensible and contractible in length, thereby to vary the length of the rack as a whole. This may be readily accomplished in different ways, by means of longitudinally slidable sections. The modification shown in Figure 5 differs from the above described construction substantially only in that respect. In Figure 5 these cross rods are shown as being telescopic. Each has a smaller section 27 telescoping into a slightly larger tubular section 28.

In its operation, this modified form of drying rack of my invention has the advantage that it is capable of being installed upon windows of different widths. Also it has the further advantage that it may be reduced to its minimum length for storage when not in use. In other respects, the operation is substantially similar to that of the first described construction.

The many advantageous attributes of the collapsible drying rack of my invention should now be evident. ient and economical to manufacture, it has proved to be highly effective in use, as well as expeditious and convenient to manipulate, and it collapses to a small size of space-saving shape for shipment and storage.

It is obvious that various modifications may be made in the constructions shown in the drawing and above particularly described, within the principle and scope of my invention as defined in the appended claims.

Among these are that it is conven- I do not limit myself specifically as to materials, size, shape, proportions, or relationship of parts, these being given simply as a means for clearly describing the collapsible drying rack of my invention.

What I claim is:-

1. In a collapsible drying rack, in combination, an upper and lower end arm at each end of the rack with the front ends of these arms pivotally connected together, mounting hooks on the rear ends of said upper arms adapted to engage with the sash cords of a window, the rear ends of said lower arms being adapted to abut against a part of the window, a flexible cord connection between said upper and lower arms at each end of the rack adapted to provide for a limited amount of spreading apart of said upper and lower arms, preventing the collapse of the device, while providing for the folding together of these arms upon each other, an upper series of horizontal cross rods extending between and fixedly carried by said upper arms in spaced parallel relation with one another, a lower series of horizontal cross rods extending between and fixedly carried by said lower arms in spaced parallel relation with one another, and a front cross rod extending between the pivotal ends of said arms and forming a pivotal connection between said upper and lower arms at each end of the rack.

2. In a collapsible drying rack, in combination, an upper and a lower end arm at each end of the rack with the front ends of these arms pivotally connected together, mounting hooks on the rear ends of said upper arms adapted to engage with sash cords of a window, the rear ends of said lower arms being adapted to abut against a part of the window, a flexible cord connection between said upper and lower arms at each end of the rack adapted to provide for a limited amount of spreading apart of said upper and lower arms, preventing the collapse of the device while providing for the folding together of these arms upon each other an upper series of horizontal cross rods extending between and fixedly carried by said upper arms in spaced parallel relation with one another, a lower seriesof horizontal cross rods extending between and fixedly carried by said lower arms in spaced parallel relation with one another, and a front cross rod extending between the pivotal ends of said arms and forming a pivotal connection between said upper and lower arms at each end of the rack, each of said cross rods comprising longitudinally slidable sections whereby it and the rack as a whole is longitudinally extensible and contractible.

GEORGE MURRAY. 

